Seiska's reporter tells: This is what Kimi Räikkönen is like for real!

Seiska's reporter Panu Hörkkö visited Kimi Räikkönen at his home and he was surprised - positively

When I drove on Feb 3rd from Helsinki to Kimi Räikkönen's villa in Porkkalanniemi I had butterflies in my stomach. I had actually had them ever since the night before and Kimi even visited in my few hours dream to be honest.

So the unconsciousness pulled cruel tricks on me. I was however about to meet Kimi for the first time and I had heard that he hates reporters. I wondered which one of us is more troubled with the meeting - the one who was going to be interviewed or the interviewer?

Kimi's expression was something completely different from what I had expected!

When the photographer and I arrived to Porkkalanniemi we were greeted by Riku Kuvaja. He informed in his kind way that he would go and walk around the villa with the photographer and I could soon interview Kimi in peace.

Soon after that the glass door opened and a beanie-headed Kimi came out to shake hands with me.

I immediately saw an expression on Kimi's face that I hadn't seen in one single magazine or tv-interview earlier. Kimi was unbelievably laidback and frankly put charming, if a man can say so about another man.

Kimi's boyishness and grinning continued all through our 3-hours meeting and the ice broke easily in the Iceman's cave. Kimi answered my questions in a laidback way and used his witty sense of humour. His laughter was catching and the atmosphere was warm.

As an example I could mention my question "How tough steam-man are you?" Kimi replied in his personal way:

- I like to go to a sauna but just the normal steams. No Sauna-Timo-business for sure, Kimi said.

It wasn't pretending from his side, I can say based upon my life experience that Kimi is genuinely a laidback person - and modest too on top of that - unlike many "heroes" I have met.

Lacking speaking skills, they say!

After we left the villa I could only think that dammit, that guy just hates cameras just like probably 99% of Finnish men also hate!


Next F1-season I am going to concentrate on following only Kimi and his grips in Lotus. The guy did after all set the fastest laptime in Jerez testing!

I will leave in their own league those who nag about Kimi's poor skills of commenting or posing. Afterall I know myself that we Finns have an exceptionally charming hero in this man. And a man can say this about another man.

Good luck to the upcoming season, Kimi!

Source: Seiska.fi
Courtesy: Nicole